**Executive Summary**
This document presents the answer to Unstarred Question No. 589 in the Lok Sabha regarding steps taken to promote industrial growth and investment in Tiruchirappalli and Pudukkottai districts of Tamil Nadu. The answer, provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, details the Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) initiative and startup support schemes, with the question to be answered on Tuesday, 03rd February, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) Initiative:**
* Launched in August 2019 to promote export, manufacturing, and employment at the grassroots level.
* Involves States and Districts as key stakeholders.
* Aims to leverage the unique identity of each district to boost exports.
* Utilizes institutional mechanisms like State Export Promotion Committees (SEPC) and District Export Promotion Committees (DEPC).
* Identifies products/services with export potential in 734 districts nationwide.
* **Specific Products/Services Identified in Tamil Nadu:**
* **Pudukkottai District:** Agro Food Processing, Marine Food Processing, Granite, Coir, and Engineering.
* **Tiruchirappalli District:** Agro Food Processing, Heavy Electricals and Engineering, Defence Equipment, Artificial Jewellery, Windmill Components, and Banana.
* **Startup India Initiative:**
* Government support for the startup ecosystem through three flagship schemes.
* **Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS):** Catalyzes venture capital investments.
* **Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS):** Provides financial assistance to seed-stage startups through incubators.
* **Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS):** Enables debt funding to startups through eligible financial institutions.
* **Financial Support for Tamil Nadu (2023-2025):**
* Approximately ₹568 crore provided under FFS.
* ₹43.15 crore provided under SISFS.
* ₹84.6 crore provided under CGSS.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Pudukkottai and Tiruchirappalli Districts**
* **Impact:** Identification of key export products and services. Potential for increased export, manufacturing, and employment. Access to financial support through the Startup India Initiative.
* **Action Required:** Districts should leverage the DEH initiative to further develop and promote the identified sectors. They should also utilize startup support schemes to boost entrepreneurship.
**Stakeholder: State Export Promotion Committees (SEPC) and District Export Promotion Committees (DEPC)**
* **Impact:** They serve as institutional mechanisms supporting export promotion.
* **Action Required:** Must work to promote exports and address bottlenecks for export growth in their respective Districts.
**Stakeholder: Startups in Tamil Nadu**
* **Impact:** Access to funding and support through the Startup India Initiative.
* **Action Required:** Startups should explore the various funding options and support programs available under the FFS, SISFS, and CGSS schemes.
Key Entities Referenced
Districts as Export Hubs (DEH): Initiative aimed at targeting export promotion, manufacturing, and employment generation at the grassroots level by involving States and Districts.
Ministry of Commerce & Industry: The government ministry responsible for the initiatives and schemes related to industrial, trade, and export development mentioned in the document.
Startup India: A Government of India initiative to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and Startups in the country.
Tamil Nadu: State in India; the location of Pudukkottai and Tiruchirappalli districts, which are the focus of specific initiatives and data presented in the response.
Pudukkottai and Tiruchirappalli: Districts in Tamil Nadu which are the subject of the query regarding initiatives and schemes for industrial, trade and export development.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
DEPARTMENT FOR PROMOTION OF INDUSTRY AND INTERNAL TRADE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 589.
TO BE ANSWERED ON TUESDAY, THE 03RD FEBRUARY, 2026.
STEPS TAKEN TO PROMOTE INDUSTRIAL GROWTH AND INVESTMENT
589. SHRI DURAI VAIKO:
Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state:
वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री
(a) the details of initiatives and schemes implemented by the Ministry of Commerce
and Industry to promote industrial, trade, and export development in
Tiruchirappalli and Pudukkottai districts of Tamil Nadu during the last three
years;
(b) the details of beneficiaries and investments generated under the said initiatives,
sector and scheme-wise ;
(c) whether any industrial clusters, export promotion programmes, logistics or
warehousing facilities or start-up support initiatives have been established or
are proposed to be established in the said districts; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री (श्री णिणिन प्रसाद)
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
(SHRI JITIN PRASADA)
(a) to (d): The Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) initiative, aimed at targeting export
promotion, manufacturing, and employment generation at the grassroots level
by involving States and Districts as meaningful stakeholders, was launched in
August 2019. The initiative seeks to channelize the potential and diverse
identity of each district to promote exports of identified goods and services
through institutional mechanisms such as State Export Promotion Committees
(SEPC) and District Export Promotion Committees (DEPC), which support
export promotion and address bottlenecks for export growth in the Districts.
Under the DEH, products/services with export potential have been identified in
734 districts across the country. The products/services identified under this
initiative in Pudukkottai and Tiruchirappalli districts of Tamil Nadu are as
follows:
i. Pudukkottai District—(Agro Food Processing, Marine Food Processing,
Granite, Coir, and Engineering);
ii. Tiruchirappalli District—(Agro Food Processing, Heavy Electricals and
Engineering, Defence Equipment, Artificial Jewellery, Windmill Components,
and Banana).Under the Startup India initiative, the Government supports the startup
ecosystem through three flagship schemes: Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS)
to catalyze venture capital investments, Startup India Seed Fund Scheme
(SISFS) to provide financial assistance to seed-stage startups through
incubators, and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) for enabling
debt funding to startups through eligible financial institutions. For Tamil Nadu,
between 2023 and 2025, support amounting to approximately ₹568 crore,
₹43.15 crore, and ₹84.6 crore has been provided under FFS, SISFS, and
CGSS, respectively.
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